THE FINAL BLOW
THE JOHNNY APPLE SEED OF THE OHIO & ERIE CANAL
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THE FINAL BLOW TO THE AKRON LOCKS
THIS IS THE AREA NORTH OF AKRON IN WHICH SO MUCH DEBRIS CLOGGED THE CANAL AND ITS LOCKS
DURING THE GREAT FLOOD. THE WATER WAS FLOODING AND WIPING OUT EACH LEVEL ALONG THE
STAIRCASE. MANUFACTURING AREAS WERE BEING WASHED AWAY. GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER ON THE
LITTLE CUYAHOGA RIVER, WAS SUBJECT TO 20FT. OF RAGING WATER GOING THROUGH ITS MANUFACTURING
FACILITY. THE FLOODING IN AKRON WAS SO DEVASTATING, THAT LOWER LEVELS OF BF GOODRICH WERE
NEARLY 10FT. BELOW WATER. THE AKRON BEACON JOURNAL WAS PUT OUT OF COMMISSION BECAUSE OF
THE FLOOD. RELIEF CAME BY SETTING CHARGES ON THE CANAL LOCKS OF THE OHIO & ERIE CANAL
STARTING AT LOCK 1 ( THE NORTH END OF THE PORTAGE SUMMIT AT EXCHANGE STREET.)
DURING THE GREAT FLOOD. THE WATER WAS FLOODING AND WIPING OUT EACH LEVEL ALONG THE
STAIRCASE. MANUFACTURING AREAS WERE BEING WASHED AWAY. GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER ON THE
LITTLE CUYAHOGA RIVER, WAS SUBJECT TO 20FT. OF RAGING WATER GOING THROUGH ITS MANUFACTURING
FACILITY. THE FLOODING IN AKRON WAS SO DEVASTATING, THAT LOWER LEVELS OF BF GOODRICH WERE
NEARLY 10FT. BELOW WATER. THE AKRON BEACON JOURNAL WAS PUT OUT OF COMMISSION BECAUSE OF
THE FLOOD. RELIEF CAME BY SETTING CHARGES ON THE CANAL LOCKS OF THE OHIO & ERIE CANAL
STARTING AT LOCK 1 ( THE NORTH END OF THE PORTAGE SUMMIT AT EXCHANGE STREET.)
THE PICTURES BELOW, DEPICT THE AFTERMATH OF THE MANY TNT CHARGES THAT WERE SET
THROUGHOUT THE STAIRCASE. TO THE SOUTH OF AKRON, THE DAMS ON THE PORTAGE LAKES WHICH
WERE THE MAIN FEEDER TO THE OHIO & ERIE CANAL, WERE BLOWN UP. THIS CHANGED THE COURSE OF
THE FLOODING WATERS WHICH NOW PROCEEDED TO GO SOUTH INSTEAD OF THROUGH DOWNTOWN
AKRON. THE RESULT WAS AN IMMEDIATE DROP OF THE WATER TO THE AKRON AREA. THESE ACTIONS
WHICH RELIEVED AKRON, UNKNOWINGLY SENT A 20FT. WALL OF WATER RAGING SOUTH CAUSING THE
MOST DAMAGE TO MASSILLON WHERE THE WATER GOT CAUGHT UP IN THE SHARP BEND ON THE
TUSCARAWAS RIVER THAT WENT THROUGH DOWNTOWN AFTER THE RAINS STOPPED AND THE WATER
RECEDED, WORD OF THE PORTAGE LAKES DAMS BEING BLOWN UP TO SAVE AKRON, TRICKLED INTO
MASSILLON. MASSILLON OFFICIALS HAD TO GO AND SEE FOR THEMSELVES, ONLY TO FIND LONG LAKE
EMPTY THE EAST AND WEST RESERVOIR ALSO EMPTY WITH NO SIGNS OF THE DAMS. MASSILLON
CHALLENGED AKRON IN COURT BUT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH PROOF TO SUBSTANTIATE THIS OR THE
FUNDS TO CARRY OUT A LAWSUIT.
THROUGHOUT THE STAIRCASE. TO THE SOUTH OF AKRON, THE DAMS ON THE PORTAGE LAKES WHICH
WERE THE MAIN FEEDER TO THE OHIO & ERIE CANAL, WERE BLOWN UP. THIS CHANGED THE COURSE OF
THE FLOODING WATERS WHICH NOW PROCEEDED TO GO SOUTH INSTEAD OF THROUGH DOWNTOWN
AKRON. THE RESULT WAS AN IMMEDIATE DROP OF THE WATER TO THE AKRON AREA. THESE ACTIONS
WHICH RELIEVED AKRON, UNKNOWINGLY SENT A 20FT. WALL OF WATER RAGING SOUTH CAUSING THE
MOST DAMAGE TO MASSILLON WHERE THE WATER GOT CAUGHT UP IN THE SHARP BEND ON THE
TUSCARAWAS RIVER THAT WENT THROUGH DOWNTOWN AFTER THE RAINS STOPPED AND THE WATER
RECEDED, WORD OF THE PORTAGE LAKES DAMS BEING BLOWN UP TO SAVE AKRON, TRICKLED INTO
MASSILLON. MASSILLON OFFICIALS HAD TO GO AND SEE FOR THEMSELVES, ONLY TO FIND LONG LAKE
EMPTY THE EAST AND WEST RESERVOIR ALSO EMPTY WITH NO SIGNS OF THE DAMS. MASSILLON
CHALLENGED AKRON IN COURT BUT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH PROOF TO SUBSTANTIATE THIS OR THE
FUNDS TO CARRY OUT A LAWSUIT.
